NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference

Conference Agenda

Pre-Conference events and Conference events, unless otherwise noted, will be held in Halls A and B of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, TX. Additional payment, which includes continental breakfast, breaks, lunch and handout materials, is required for Pre-Conference courses.

This two-day course is designed for business aviation professionals who currently have a dispatcher's license to update their knowledge, skills and abilities with the latest information on the duties and responsibilities of an aircraft dispatcher. It is also open to advanced-level schedulers considering enrollment in a dispatch license program. This course will cover topics related to Federal Aviation Regulations, basic regulatory issues, advanced planning, along with pre-flight requirements and flight planning, pre-flight briefings and in-flight support considerations for aircraft dispatchers supporting business aviation operations.Registration fee: Member: $950; Non-Member: $1,100

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

SPDP and PDP Course: Aviation Human Factors (Day 1 of 2)

Room 202B, San Antonio Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center

Presented by: John Rahilly, Global Jet Services

A review of aircraft accidents commonly reveals that a series of events were allowed to develop well before the actual accident. If aviation personnel can break that "chain-of-events," accident occurrences become less likely. This two-day course will help all aviation related personnel develop ways to recognize potential "contributing links" to an accident and develop individual "safety nets" to prevent errors. The primary goal of this course is to increase safety awareness, reduce errors, and ultimately improve business profitability.Meets Objective: HR9
Registration fee: Member: $950; Non-Member: $1,100

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

SPDP Course: Aircraft Performance

Room 202A, San Antonio Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center

Presented by: Vinton Brown, FlightSafety International

This course is geared particularly toward crew schedulers and dispatchers within corporate Part 91 or 135 flight departments, though is very beneficial for others such as internal travel agents and executive assistants. Attendees gain a clearer understanding how the scheduling function can contribute to their organization's overall mission more efficiently and safely. In addition to covering basic aircraft systems and components, weight and balance, and aerodynamics, attendees will gain usable knowledge of how aircraft performance-related limitations are affected by atmospheric conditions.Meets Objective: F08
Registration fee: Member: $550; Non-Member: $700

This course is designed for flight department personnel who will establish and/or maintain a record-keeping system using accepted industry practices to document regulatory compliance and initiate appropriate action within the department.Meets Objective: Ops3
Registration fee: Member: $550; Non-Member: $700

12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Conference Registration Open

Exhibit Hall

4:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Ambassador Meeting

Ballroom A

5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

First-Time Attendee Meeting and Presentation of the Scholarship Awards

Ballroom A

5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

Pre-Conference Exhibitors Meeting

Exhibit Hall

You've made a significant investment in exhibiting at the S&D Conference, now is the time to ensure you get the best return on that investment!

NBAA has invited sales and marketing experts from ABCI (Aviation Business Consultants International) to present a brief and important overview of the S&D Conference, including key educational and exhibitor opportunities. We will also have some fun with role-playing common scenarios you'll encounter at your booth and at other sales and networking opportunities during the conference. We will explain key follow-up procedures that can boost your sales 30, 60 and 90 days after the conference. Attendance by at least one representative from each exhibiting company.

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Welcome Reception

Exhibit Hall

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

Ballroom A (Foyer)

7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Conference Registration Open

Exhibit Hall

8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Opening General Session

Ballroom A

Attend the 2013 S&D Conference Opening General Session to hear a welcome from NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee Chairwoman Karen Steinkamp and remarks from NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.

Our keynote speaker, "The Productivity Pro," Laura Stack, will share tips that highlight the conference theme: Making Time to Fuel Your Goals. For nearly 20 years, Laura Stack has presented keynotes and leadership workshops internationally on improving output, lowering stress, and saving time in today's workplaces. As the founder and president of The Productivity Pro&#174;, Inc., she helps individuals, leaders, teams, and organizations achieve Maximum Results in Minimum Time&#174;. She has implemented productivity improvement programs at companies such as Wal-Mart, Cisco Systems, UBS, Aramark, and Bank of America. Widely regarded as one of the leading experts in the field of employee productivity and workplace issues, Laura has been featured on the CBS Early Show, CNN, USA Today, and the New York Times. Laura has been a spokesperson for Microsoft, 3M, Xerox, Office Depot, and Day-Timer, and she is the 2011-2012 President of the National Speakers Association (NSA). She's the bestselling author of five books, including What to Do When There's Too Much to Do and SuperCompetent.

Do you know the differences between scheduling under Part 135 as opposed to Part 91? This Part 135 beginning session will provide the tools, resources and technology options for the new charter scheduler. Presenters will discuss Part 135 operations manuals, aircraft and crew resource management, customer service and working with the FAA and TSA. Other topics will include Part 135 crew currency and limitations, tracking and reporting, as well as the differences for international travel under Part 135, and billing do's and dont's.

Are you a new Part 91 scheduler or interested in learning about scheduling for a Part 91 operation? Designed to be an introduction to Part 91 operations, this session will feature a panel of veteran schedulers who will share tips to help make every trip you schedule a success. They will help you navigate through the trip-planning process, introducing best practices, terminology, industry resources, suggested checklists and how to maximize your scheduling software. Also learn about the many other resources available to you: Regional Groups, scholarships, Conferences, Scheduler Professional Development Program courses and more.

10:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Business Aviation Hot Topics

Room 103B

Presented by: NBAA Staff, National Business Aviation Association

NBAA staff, including the Association's regional representatives, will discuss current business aviation issues and highlight NBAA's advocacy work and local current events. As dynamic as the industry is, the session's agenda may change, but it will likely include an update on No Plane No Gain advocacy, TSA's Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP), Customs, the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) and FAA funding. Regional representatives will discuss the benefits of being involved in a regional group and regional forum, as well as local access issues and training information available in your area.

10:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Safety Management Systems

Room 103A

Presented by: Louis Degagne, GX Aviation

Has your flight department already implemented an SMS? Are you meeting the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO)? At what level? Even if your flight department does not have an SMS, attend this session to learn how to take safety to the next level. We will offer more in-depth information on training initiatives in flight departments, how flight departments use their SMS day-to-day, what lessons they have learned and what they do with all the matrix information, along with how to organize an SMS binder. This session will also offer flight- and risk-assessment tools you can utilize daily.

When scheduling a cross-border flight, there are a number of regulatory and operational items to consider. This session will provide a general overview of the critical procedures for cross-border issues (both incoming and outgoing) for the United States, Canada and Mexico. A panel of experts will advise on topics such as cabotage and current restrictions in Canada and Mexico, visa requirements, passenger documentation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection's electronic Advance Passenger Information System (e-APIS) rules, the visa waiver program and other international travel requirements.

Goal setting establishes and documents the most important priorities for what you hope to achieve in the year ahead. It involves input and preparation from both the employee and supervisor. This session will help supervisors and employees improve the quality of their goals and performance discussions.

In the ever evolving and technical world that we live in, more flight departments have decided to have their scheduler/dispatcher file flight plans. From operational control and cost savings to job security, the reasons are abundant for transitioning the work in-house. Part 1 of this two part session will deal with the basics of aircraft performance and flight planning and the things you must consider before you make transition to filing your flight plans in-house.

Learn how you, as a scheduler/dispatcher, can use technology, from hardware to social media, to enhance your role within the flight department and simplify your job. Learn how flight departments are moving toward a paperless operation, how technology is being used with company security policies, and what technology tools are available for your use in the business aviation environment.

2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Ice Cream and Networking Social

Exhibit Hall

3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

ABC's of Taxes & Fees

Room 101

Presented by: Rick Snider, Rockwell Collins

EU ETS, UK APD, Italian Luxury Tax / Charter Passenger Tax, NavAids, SENEAM, etc. There seems to be a never ending array of charges that seemingly appear from nowhere and affect operational costs, sometimes for months or years after a flight is completed. This session will review how schedulers and dispatchers can best keep track of and manage the ever-changing taxes, surcharges, and fees that affect general aviation. This session will cover many current issues impacting global business aviation, including:
- Upcoming UK Passenger Duty (UK APD)
- EU ETS (Transition from Phase II to Phase III)
- Latin American Overflight Fees

Once you have gained the knowledge of basic aircraft performance and flight planning, Part 2 of this two-part session will deal with a scenario based flight plan. What is needed to successfully plan and file a transcontinental flight? What about an oceanic flight to Europe? Or a snow bird route to the Caribbean? What happens when things change en route? Gaining the basic knowledge to plan a flight in conjunction with this scenario based presentation will help schedulers and dispatchers learn how to file a variety of complex flight plans.

Operational safety is all encompassing. Passenger and crew safety within the confines of your plane's cabin and knowing what items are on board is as important as any other aspect of the flight. What are your in-flight emergency procedures? Can aerosol cans, perfume, or hunting weapons be transported safely? Can they be brought across international borders? What restrictions or penalties could apply? This class will teach you important aspects of maintaining a safe cabin environment and will include issues concerning HAZMAT regulations both domestic and international.

Does your company currently travel to India or have plans to do so?
Traveling to and within India can be challenging in all aspects - scheduling, planning, security and safety. Join a panel of experts for a lively discussion on how to plan and execute a successful trip to India. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions. Join in the discussion and take away a planning checklist.

Working in a busy flight department can be similar to juggling multiple different sized objects. When considering the aspects of having your crew legal and safe to fly a trip, there are many factors at play. Is your crew current in the aircraft, can your Department SOP's be followed with this flight, is the flight a Part 91, a Part 135, or a Part 125 flight? When your crew is "legal" to fly a trip, does it mean they are "safe" to fly that leg or trip? Join this discussion and discover what best practices other flight departments are using.

In this introduction to personal use of business aircraft session, you will learn about FAA and IRS considerations, classifying flights as business vs. personal, and how to properly calculate the fringe benefit value of non-business flights, including the Standard Industry Fair Level (SIFL) methodology.

How do you choose the best third-party supplier when you are thousands of miles away? Of course the vehicles and facility on the ground transportation provider's web site look GREAT, but do you know if the company has proper levels of insurance? Is the staff professional and properly trained? The food on the caterer's web site looks SCRUMPTIOUS, but how do you know if they follow proper sanitary procedures for food storage, preparation, etc.? This session will help operators ask the right questions to ensure they are selecting third-party suppliers based on the best criteria.

9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

SMS the Mindset: How Corporate Culture Can Affect SMS Implementation (and be Affected by It)

Safety Culture... SMS... Risk Management... They all interrelate, but how do they relate to your company? A safety Management System (SMS) is a collection of processes, resources, beliefs, and practices that has the aim of managing and reducing risk. So what makes up a safety culture? How can the prevailing culture affect SMS implementation? How can the implementation of an SMS program positively impact a company's safety culture? This program will answer these questions as well as describe the pitfalls that can undermine the foundation of your culture. It will also help you to understand what front line employees can do to affect the culture.

This presentation will focus on advanced topics related to personal use of business aircraft, mastery of which will help ensure compliance with the myriad regulations. Public-company disclosure issues, using timesharing agreements or other reimbursement mechanisms for personal use, calculating the entertainment-use disallowance, and recordkeeping requirements will be addressed in detail. Attendees of this advanced session are encouraged to bring questions relevant to their specific operation.

This session will discuss key operational planning considerations for South America, with a special emphasis on Brazil. A panel of experts will cover the region from the perspectives of a trip planner, pilot and in-country ground support specialist, reviewing current regulations, unique requirements, and potential "gotchas" of which to be aware. There will also be an operational update on procedures and planning for the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament.

This workshop will carve through the fog of aviation emergency planning. A prototype accident response plan will be dissected into its most basic, chronological and essential parts. Using several recent accident scenarios as an operational guide, participants will engage in an interactive discussion. Be prepared to learn and observe the modern response techniques used by field responders. Participants will enter Module II with valuable new knowledge of the required processes and capabilities, along with several new emergency-planning resources to significantly enhance planning activities.

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Weather -Theory and Practical Application

Room 103A

This class will teach you how to actually apply your knowledge of weather theory. Two speakers, one a meteorologist and the other a licensed dispatcher, will tag team between weather theory and practical application of that theory. Refresh your weather knowledge and learn how to set up your office to best monitor and deal with various weather situations.

The Chinese business aviation environment is rapidly expanding. Yet, despite the gains made in recent years, operating to this region is still fraught with challenges that can derail even the most experienced operator. Session attendees will learn from a Chinese ground-support expert and trip-support specialist the requirements for obtaining permits, visas and ground support, as well as cultural considerations for planning travel into China.

3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

In-house Trip Planning

Room 102

Presented by: Mike Melozzi, FirstFlight

An increasing number of flight departments are taking their international trip planning in house. This session will examine the variety of details that need to be discussed within a department before making the ultimate decision to move forward and handle your own overseas trips. From operational control and cost savings to job security, learn about the benefits and challenges for moving the work in house.

Performing a comprehensive and thorough threat and risk assessment while planning a trip is critical for the safety of both your passengers and crew. Learn what to look for in an assessment and how to find a proper provider to perform the service. Additionally, a security team will provide an update on the current troubled spots around the world, the status and processes for the FAA's revised Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program, and what is expected to replace the TSA's Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP).

Be prepared to confront firsthand the modern operational realities required to implement your strategic emergency plan. A highly interactive scenario, based upon a combination of recent real experiences, will guide the session. Building upon Module I, this workshop will provide the opportunity for participants to fully engage in a practical emergency-response exercise. Completion of Module 1 is recommended before attending this session. Module 1 immediately precedes this session at 1:00 p.m.

This year's evening event promises to be memorable as we get into the spirit of the 2013 Super Bowl while being entertained by the Dueling Piano Duo of Howl at the Moon fame. After a tail gate buffet, these unique entertainers will be joining us with their music and their antics. Be ready to defend your home team and, if you are brave enough, feel free to wear the football jersey of your favorite team. The dress code for this event is business casual and jeans are permitted. The event will be held at the Institute of Texan Cultures, 801 E. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78205-3296

With the array of services provided by trip support companies it can be overwhelming how to can get a handle on your international support needs. Speed up the process by learning what every trip support specialist wants you to know and hear from an expert that plans trips all over the world. Give your team a smooth flight by using these best practices from seasoned professionals.

This session will be a dynamic and interactive session discussing expectations with regard to FBO services. We'll explore the answers to some very important questions, such as: If you selected an FBO based on the lowest fuel price, can you still expect top-notch service? Can you be certain that the FBO you selected will provide the great customer service that your crew and passengers have grown accustomed to? Will your pilots be pleased with the FBO amenities? What's your checklist for success when searching for an FBO? A panel of leading industry experts will share some of their tips and tricks of the trade. Sharing your experiences and input is strongly encouraged.

When operating around the world, virtually each one of the 190-plus nations that adhere to International Civil Aviation Organization rules has variations on the standards and recommended procedures (SARPs). The Federal Aviation Regulations require U.S. operators to know about these differences before entering another country's airspace. This session is designed to address the most common of the "gotcha" issues, such as permitting, overflights, sanction rules, ICAO 2012 Flight Planning, EU-ETS and the U.S. and U.K. anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws.

8:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Technical Writing

Room 103A

Presented by: Leonard Beauchemin, AeroTechna Solutions LLC

Technical writing plays an important role in the functionality of a flight department. With the variety of documents (such as manuals, SOPs and checklists) and the importance of SMS, there has been a significant push to document many best practices. In many small flight departments that are unable to outsource this job, this daunting task is landing in the laps of their schedulers and dispatchers. This session will provide an overview and the resources needed to create quality technical documents that will help your flight department succeed.

One of the biggest challenges facing the industry is the IRS's recent Chief Counsel Advice (CCA) memorandum suggesting that 7.5% FET is due on amounts paid for aircraft management services. Learn what NBAA is doing to oppose this as well as strategies for ensuring possession, command, and control remain with the aircraft owner.
The panel also will address Part 135 issues including FAA Consistency, Contract Instructor and Check Airman requirements, and previous training and checking under Part 135.

10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Flight Department Resource Management

Room 103A

Presented by: Cynthia DeVol, Wing Aviation Charter Services

Feeling overwhelmed? Lost your focus? Had to MEL your crystal ball? How will you ever get it all done? It has been said "You don't have to know everything if you know people who know the things you don't." Join us for a practical discussion of Office Resource Management (ORM). Together we will help you evaluate your existing resources. Equip you with real tools to improve your own situational awareness, communication and decision making. You will identify with our real life scenarios and decide if you are a leader by chance or by choice, regardless of title. Our desired outcome is to encourage attendees to begin asking the right questions and strategize in situation where you must read between the lines either with those you serve of those serving with you. Let's end the error chain and champion success. Really, it's in the cards!

Tax laws and regulations around the world are constantly changing. Industry experts will cover how to develop fuel-tax planning solutions, how to obtain value added tax (VAT) and energy tax refunds, the different taxes that apply to Part 91 and 135 operations, how to enroll in federal excise tax (FET) and VAT programs, how to recover retroactive fees for specific states and countries, and more.

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Developing Effective Corporate Communications

Room 101

Corporate communications skills are more important than ever as technology increasingly overshadows face-to-face and verbal communication. One thing technology can't replace? Solid communication skills that communicate what you want to in the manner you need to which is essential to safe, seamless operations. Learn how stress and chaos affect how and what we communicate and how our communications are perceived. Mastering your own internal dialogue is the first step in the efficiency of your flight department. This session will focus on exploring the human side of communications, including use of technology.

12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Grand Prize Luncheon

Ballroom A

Attendees are invited to participate in Friday's "Grand Prize Luncheon." During the Conference exhibit hours, participating exhibitors (those who have donated a prize or gift) collect business cards from attendees when they visit their booth. Prior to this luncheon, participating exhibitors will select four business cards - one as the winner and three extra in the event the original winner is not present at the luncheon or has already won another prize. Conference Rules require that winners be present to win. As attendees finish lunch, participating companies will assemble in alphabetical order at the stage. One representative from each company will announce their winner at the podium. Once the winner is identified, the attendee will meet the company representative off the stage to claim their prize. All paid attendees and all exhibitors are eligible to participate in the prize drawings. Attendees may win only one prize during the grand prize luncheon. Attendees may not refuse a gift in order to wait to see if they win another prize.

Conference Sponsors:

Platinum

Gold

Silver

Bronze

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